‘North Korea must either open up transparently or collapse’

Former North Korean diplomat Ri Il-gyu, who defected last year, suggests in an interview that North Korea should follow Cuba’s path of openness while maintaining socialism. He believes the establishment of South Korea-Cuba relations shocked Kim Jong-un. Ri discusses the challenges of defection, including persuading his family, and shares insights on life as a North Korean diplomat abroad. He chose to defect to South Korea due to shared language and culture, and urges his former colleagues to leave North Korea, stating it has no future.READ FULL